Auctioneers

A pair of Sphinx garden ornaments estimated at just £300-500 at a Suffolk auction were hammered down at £195,000.

A rare 17th century elephant automaton clock was the star of the Christie’s New York Exceptional sale when it sold at $2.15m (£1.58m) to a private buyer.

Small bronzes form part of a group of sculptures underlining the market demand at regional salerooms.

The original ‘Poohsticks’ bridge from AA Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh books is to return to the ‘Hundred Acre Wood’ after it was bought by Buckhurst Park estate owner Lord De La Warr.

Another studio sale bringing attention to an artist whose work rarely appears was held at Dreweatts (25% buyer’s premium) via a timed online auction of pictures by Bruce Tippett (1933-2017) that closed on September 16.

Oddly titled by its creator as such, an extraordinary watercolour featured on August 10 at John Nicholson’s (25% buyer’s premium) of Fernhurst.

The studio pottery collection of the late US dealer Dr John Driscoll will be offered at Phillips in conjunction with specialist Maak.

Duke’s sale in Dorchester on November 25 includes this pair of Yongzheng period (1723-35) famille rose fish bowls.

This Katsushika Hokusai woodblock print from the series Hyakunin isshu uba ga enoki (The Hundred Poems as Told by the Nurse) is titled Poem by Fujiwara No Toshiyuki Ason.

Oliver Wiseman has joined Bonhams as a senior wine specialist in Paris.

The scene on this 19in (43cm) Yongzheng famille rose dish depicts the Daoist immortal Magu on her way to celebrate the famous peach banquet of the Queen Mother of the West, Xi Wang Mu, who rules over the garden of the peaches of longevity.

This 7½in (19cm) Japanese wood netsuke shows the standing figure of Ashinaga with his arms outstretched.

This 17th century Japanese lacquer cabinet was made for the Western market, c.1680.

This Ming period bronze weight comes in the form of a recumbent mythical beast.

Republican plaques bought at Hong Kong dealership take top price in Chinese art sale.

Among the highlights in terms of Mod Brit sales this autumn, Lyon & Turnbull will offer the personal collection of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham (1912-2004) .

Matthew Barton’s European and Asian Works of Art sale at Olympia Auctions on November 24-25 includes this 4in (10cm) bronze figure of Manjusri, the bodhisattva associated with prajna (wisdom) made in Java (Indonesia) in the 10th century.